To the editor:
It was not long ago that the quarterback for the San Francisco 49er’s, Colin Kaepernick, was steeped in controversy for his decision to sit down on the National Anthem in protest over his perceived belief that African-Americans are unjustly treated by our police forces. There was definitely a strong backlash for his choosing to use our highly esteemed National Anthem that is symbolic of our patriotism for our flag, for our Veterans, for all the soldiers throughout our wars who gave their lives to defend our nation and for the freedom we enjoy and the principles of our democracy.
When I first heard he did this, I was outraged he would believe he could get a nation’s respect for “his cause” by disrespecting the symbol of our nation and for our democracy that gave him the right to do this through our First Amendment of freedom of speech. His decision to address this perceived injustice would only cause division and increased racial tension. It could lead to further disrespect as others would feel this was a satisfactory venue to air their criticism of our nation.
I believe we all can justifiably find fault with the way many things are handled in our country and it is incumbent on us as citizens of our democracy to address these injustices if they truly exist by subjecting them to our laws, our courts and the principles of justice available to all of us.
What if we could find a way of respectfully using our gatherings at sporting events that always include our National Anthem to hand over our deep concerns for our nation to the One who has held our nation together, carried our flag through all our wars and given us our national courage and character when we are up against all kinds of adversity. In our Pledge of Allegiance we proudly state: “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” This is what we all seek and it is obtainable not through protest but through petition … prayer petition.
I don’t believe there is anyone who has a belief in God who would deny that prayer is desperately needed by our nation.
Abraham Lincoln once spoke sternly on our nation’s need for prayer: “We have forgotten God, we have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to God who made us.”
Ronald Reagan also spoke of the need of God leading our nation: “Without God democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”
I believe all of our goals for America can be realized if we as a nation become united in our prayers and all our flaws and injustices can be healed.
Our First Amendment gave Colin his right to disrespectfully sit down during our National Anthem. Would the same right be given to anyone who wanted with the utmost respect to pray for our nation during the National Anthem? What would be paramount here is that of true respect, that our stance at the Anthem would be to look straight forward with our right hand over our heart and as the Anthem is sung we maintain this stance.
When we are led, we close our eyes and bring our hands together in a prayer posture and we maintain this posture to the end of the Anthem. This would be a united prayer to God to intercede for us as a nation for wisdom, guidance and healing. The prayer is done in silence for our prayer is symbolized by our joined hands.
Just think of the number of sporting events that are held throughout the United States and then, if our imaginations could carry us, what if, when we open our eyes half the stadium had joined us in prayer. Our nation would be truly blessed!
When I recall our patriotic song “America the Beautiful” the lyrics say it all for the intent of our prayers. “America, America, God shed His grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea. God mend thy every flaw, may God thy gold refine, ‘til all success be nobleness and every gain divine.”
Merry Christmas to all.
